On court with Court

KOTA KINABALU: It was a rare opportunity or rather a worthwhile one for over 60 junior tennis players as they were presented with the chance of getting first hand tips from living legend Rev Dr Margaret Court at the Sutera Harbour Resort covered tennis court yesterday.

They spent about two hours with the legendary Australian, who is the most successful woman player tennis has ever produced.

Court, 67, is in town holding a seminar at a church here, and the Sabah Tennis Association took the once of a lifetime opportunity to invite the winner of 62 Grand Slams to give motivational talks and tennis clinics to budding Sabah players.

When met, STA President Johnson Koh was delighted to see the good turnout from youngsters as well as their parents.

“The reason for the response I think is because she is still very popular. I’m very glad that the parents are very supportive too.

During the brief function, Court, who was accompanied by her politician husband, showed the youngsters that she hasn’t lost her skills that made her one of the most feared players during her days.

In an interview with the local press, the former world number one-ranked player stressed on the importance of mastering the basic, a key factor towards achieving success.

She said determination, focus, commitment and dedication are also part of the ingredients to do well in any particular sport. But most importantly, Court said one must have a goal, and work hard towards achieving it.

She also believes that the local junior players can develop into better players.

“The most important thing is a player must have a goal and work towards achieving it, with good basic foundation, and opportunity,” she said.

And she recalled one of her biggest challenges before becoming a champion was to adapt to a new life having had to learn so many things from table manners, how to talk and so on.

“I’m from a poor family, and I have learnt a lot of things, and not just tennis.

Her sheer determination, dedication, commitment and her fighting spirit helped Court make it right to the top.

“When I was 13, a coach, having seen me play, told me that I could become the first Australian to win a Grand Slam.

Court eventually achieved her goal in 1963, winning the first of her Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open as a 17-year-old teenager.

She went on to win 11 Australian Open, five French Open, and three Wimbledon and five US Open titles.

She became the first woman during the open era and the second woman ever to win all four Grand Slam singles titles in 1970.

In all, Court has 62 Grand Slam titles under her belt (24 singles, 19 women’s doubles, and 19 mixed doubles), more than any other player.

She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1979 for her sheer strength of performance and accomplishment that no other tennis player has been able to match.

To a question on the best moment during her playing days, Court proudly said: “The best moment in my career has to be winning all four Grand Slam singles titles in a single year. To win that is hard, not even Roger Federer has achieved it.”

Court retired in 1977 and married Barry Court, who the President of the ruling Liberal Party of Western Australia.

Sabah Sports Council Director Abdul Rahman Laman was also present at the event.